[brid autoplay=”true” video=”783845″ player=”23231″ title=”Ten%20mustsee%20NFL%20games%20in%202021″ duration=”172″ description=”For football nerds, it’s become the biggest post-draft event of the spring. Sure, the matchups are predetermined, but there’s nothing like schedule release day.The NFL released the 2021 schedule on Wednesday as it enters its first-ever 17-game season. It’s never too early to start circling dates on your calendar for this fall, so here are 10 games you won’t want to miss.” uploaddate=”2021-05-17″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/thumb/783845_t_1621259414.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/sd/783845.mp4″]
The Indianapolis Colts announced on Wednesday that head coach Frank Reich and general manager Chris Ballard had been signed to contract extensions through the 2026 season.
A news release on the Colts’ official website featured comments from team owner Jim Irsay, who praised the leadership of Reich and Ballard as big reasons why the organization is on the precipice of something special:
“In Chris Ballard and Frank Reich, we have as great a general manager – head coach combination as there is in the NFL, and I can’t tell you how proud I am to have them leading our franchise. I truly believe this football team is on the doorstep of great things, and that’s because of the culture both have cultivated in their time with the Horseshoe. Whether we are marching toward the playoffs or facing adversity, whether we are building our roster or making a difference in the community, we have the ideal leaders in Chris and Frank.”
This is definitely a nice boost of positive news for Indianapolis fans, who are currently feeling the blues after All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and new quarterback Carson Wentz suffered foot injuries that are likely to keep them out for multiple months.
In the meantime, it’s fallen on Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger to battle it out for the starting QB job until Wentz returns. Eason is a raw second-year player who didn’t see the field behind Philip Rivers last season, while Ehlinger is a rookie sixth-round pick out of Texas. Ehlinger just gained ground in the Colts’ QB competition by splitting first-team reps.
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Indianapolis Colts’ trust in Frank Reich and Chris Ballard is well-placed
Reich was overlooked for head coaching jobs for years, and even when it came to Indianapolis, he wasn’t even the organization’s first choice.
Longtime New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had a press conference awaiting him to be introduced as the Colts’ new head coach, but he never showed, opting to stay in Foxborough instead. That turned out to be an absolute blessing in disguise, and probably best for all parties involved.
Since taking the reins in Indianapolis, Reich has obviously hit it off with Ballard, who’s built a reputation as one of the very best executives in the league. His ability to draft well and evaluate players is elite.
While the tandem of Reich and Ballard seem to be addressing the QB situation as an annual patchwork operation, they’ve not forced their hand or mortgaged too many future assets to overpay for one. They have a viable roster in place, and who knows? Maybe Wentz will be that guy once he returns from injury.
Of course, no one could’ve anticipated Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement following the 2018 campaign, so the Colts get a bit of a pass on that one.
In any event, by giving Reich and Ballard a long runway, the Colts are setting themselves up for long-term success with stable, beyond competent leadership at key posts. It shouldn’t be long until Indianapolis is a legitimate threat to win the Super Bowl every year, just as it was during Peyton Manning’s prime.
Who will win the Super Bowl this season? Find out in our full list of NFL playoff predictions